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Dace

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Dace - Fish Profile - Artful Angler fishing information Dace
'Darting Dace'
You need quick reactions and a rapid strike to catch these small, lively, silvery fish. The dace is always on the move darting rapidly from one place to the other.
Vital Statistics:
Scientific Name: Leuciscus leuciscus
Maximum Weight: 1lb 4oz
Average Weight: 4oz
Maximum Length: 12 inches
Life Span: 10-12 years
Dace characteristics:
With the silver colouring and similar river habitat, dace can sometimes be mistaken for roach or chub. You can distinguish Dace by their yellow, not red, eyes and slimmer bodies. Dace are generally smaller than both roach and chub and their dorsal and anal fins have concave edges (convex in the chub). Dace are silver with a grey or dull green back. Larger specimens take on a brassy colour and the pelvic and anal fins maybe tinged pink. Dace favour clear, fast flowing rivers and streams usually with a gravely bottom.
Where to find Dace:
Dace favour clear, fast flowing rivers and streams usually with a gravely bottom.

Feeding Habits:
Dace are mainly surface or mid water feeders, taking much of their food in insect form. On certain occasions they will feed close to the bottom, but this occurs mainly in the winter months, or if they are disturbed by river craft.

Dace Baits:
There are very few baits that the Dace will not, at some time or other, accept and any of the following will catch fish on most occasions: the trusty maggot, worms, bread - flake, crust, paste. Hempsead is an excellent Dace bait as are elderberries. Dace respond well to groundbait.

Authors preferred baits:
Single maggot seems as good as any to catch Dace.

How to catch Dace - Techniques at a glance:
Float, Ledger, freelining, trotting, fly.